Hospital apparatus.



R. H. SLEICHER..

HOSPITAL APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, I914.

Patented 4,1915.

WITNESSES:

THE NORRIS PETERS (20., PHUTO'LITHOH WASHINGTON, u. C.

IIIII/EIIITOR zfi 6/, ATTORNEY R. H. SLEICHER.

HOSPITAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED mm. 1914.

Patented May 4, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SP EET 3 BY &M

ATTORNEY WITNESSES.

TFIE NORRIS PETERS Ca, FHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON. 11 t UNITED STATESPATENT ornron.

itALPH r1.- sLEIoHnit, or TitoY, ivnw roan, Assichvoa To an: sesameAPPLIANCE COMPANY, or TROY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or new YORK.

HOSPITAL APPARATUS:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 9, 1914-. Serial No. 811,163.

To all wliom it may concern: j

7 Be it known that I, RALPH H. SLEICHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Troy, county of Itensselaer, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hospital Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improve ments and consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter described andsubsequently claimed.

Reference may he had to the accompanying drawings, and the referencecharacters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figurestherein.

Figure l of the drawings is a view in perspective of my improvedhospital-apparatus showing the transfer carriage,'and pair ofcouch-supports adjacent respectively to a side and an end of thevehicle. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation showing the bedframe and theshiftable couch supported upon the ways on said frame. Fig. 3 is a planview of a broken-away portion of the couch-frame. Fig. 4 is an end viewof the same. Fig. 5 is a plan View of a brokenaway portion .of thebed-frame showing the transverse ways thereon. Fig. 6 is an end view ofthe same. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of one of the ways with one of thecouch casters detached in engagement with the way. Fig. 8 is a view inside elevation of a stop-pin to prevent accidentaldisplacement of thecouch on the bed-frame. Fig. 91s a view'in side elevation of thecarriage. Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 11 is a view inend elevation of the same. Fig. 12 is a plan view of a corner-hingeplate and hinges whereby the bridges are hinged to the carriage. Fig. 13is an edge View of the same. Fig. 14 is a plan view of one of the hooksdetached whereby the swinging end of the bridge is detachably connectedwith a neighboring couch-support. Fig. 15 is a top plan view of abrokenaway corner portion of the carriage showing the ways in modifiedform at their point of intersection.

The principal object of the invention is to facilitate the transfer of apatient from one to the other of an ambulance and an ether-carriage, orfrom one to the other of an ether-carriage and a bed.

Other objects will appear in connection with the following description.

Patented 4, 1915.

In carrying out my invention I employ a 1 novel form ofvehicle adaptedto be used in place of the ordinary ether-carriage used inhospitals fortransferring patients from place to place, which vehicle has waysextending toward a side or end thereof upon which ways a couch ismounted by means of casters; and I provide a bed-frame with ways adaptedto aline with the respective ways on the vehicle; and I also provide anambulance with ways adapted to aline with the respective ways on thevehicle, whereby the couch can be shifted along said ways from theambulance to the vehicle, or from the vehicle to the ambulance, or fromthe vehicle to the bed, or from the bed to the vehicle, as may bedesired.

Referring to the drawings wherein the invention is shown in preferredform, 1 is the frame of the carriage mounted upon wheels, 2, the top ofthe frame having a set of ways, 33, extending transversely of thecarriage, and another set of ways, 41, extending longitudinally of thecarriage and perpendicularly intersecting the ways, 33. The ways, 33,extend to one side of. the carriage, and the ways, 4.4, extend to oneend of the carriage. At said end of the carriage vI mount thereupon bymeans of hinges, 5, a bridge, 6, which when not in use may hang down asshown in Fig. 9. At said side of the carriage I mount thereupon, bymeans of similar hinges, 7, a bridge, 8, which, when not in use, mayhang down at the side of the carriage as shown in Figs 9. In Fig. 1 Ihave shown, adjacent to said end of the carriage, a broken-away portionof a couch-support, 9, which may be an ordinary hospital ambulance,except that it is provided with ways, 10, adapted to aline with therespective longitudinal ways, 4, on the carriage. Projecting laterallyfrom the ways, 10, are pins, 11, adapted to be engaged by the respectivehooks, 12, fixed upon the swing ing end of the bridge, 6, whereby saidbridge is adapted to be supported in substantially horizontal positionin detachable connection with the ambulance, and to serve as a means fordetachably connecting the carriage with the ambulance. The bridge, 6, isprovided with ways, 13, which are adapted to aline with the respectivelongitudinal ways, 4, on the carriage, and with the ways, 10, on theambulance. 1 another couch-support, 14, which may be a bed-frame similarto an ordinary hospital bed-frame, except that it is provided withtransverse ways, 15, adapted to aline with the respective transverseways, 3, on the carriage.

Projecting laterally from the ways, 15, are pins 11, adapted to beengaged by the respective hooks, 12, fixed upon the swinging end of thebridge, 8, whereby said bridge is adapted to be supported insubstantially horizontal position in detachable connection with saidbed-frame, and to serve as a means for detachably connecting thecarriage with said bed-frame. V

The bridge 8, is provided with ways, 16, which are adapted to aline withthe respective transverse ways, 3, on the carriage and with the ways,15, on the bed-frame.

The couch, 17, forms the direct support for the patient, which couchis'mounted upon casters, 18, adapted to engage the respective ways, 3,4, 10, 13, 15 and 16, and shiftable along such of said ways as are inalinement with each other, and also shiftable at the intersection of theways, 3 and 4,

, from one set of ways to the other perpendicularly arranged set ofWays.

It will be readily seen that by the use of this apparatus, a patient canbe conveniently and without unnecessary discomfort transferred from theambulance to the carriage, and from the carriage to the bed; or can betransferred from the bed to the carriage and thereby conveyed to theoperating-room or other desired place. 7

p In Fig. 1 I have shown the ways, 3, extending fully to the side of thecarriage, and the ways, 4, extending fully to the end of the carriage,so that the longitudinal ways are continuous from the carriage to theambulance, and the transverse ways are continuous from the carriage tothe bed. The ways may, however, be made as shown in Fig. 15, the outerflange of the longitudinal ways, 4, extending across the ends of thetransverse ways, 3, and the outer flange of ways, 3, extending acrossthe ends of the longitudinal ways, 4, in which case the outer flanges ofthe respective ways form stops to prevent accidental displacement of thecouch on the carriage, over which stops the casters I have also shown inFig.

can be passed by slightly lifting the couch in shifting from one set ofways to the other perpendicular set of ways.

As a means for preventing accidental dis placement of the couch upon thebed, I have shown stops in the form of headed pins, 19, adapted to beremovably inserted in the respective holes, 20, in the ways, 15. Similarstops, if desired, may be employed upon the ways of the carriage and theways of the ambulance, or any known form of stop may be employed forthis purpose.

I do not wish to be limited to the particular construction of theseveral parts as shown in the drawings, as various modifications of thesame are within the scope of my invention. V I have shown a simple formof ballcaster, 18,. in place of which any other known suitable form ofcaster may be employed.

I have shown the several ways formed by means of grooves in therespective members, but wish it understood that by the term ways, I meanto include any track or guiding means for the casters, which. willpermit the operation of the apparatus in substantially the manner abovedescribed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In anapparatus of the class described and in combination, a vehicle havingtwo perpendicularly arranged sets of ways, one set extendingtransversely of the vehicle and the other set extending longitudinallyof the o from one set to the other thereof.

2. In an apparatus of the class described and in combination, a vehiclehaving two perpendicularly arranged sets of ways, one set extendingtransversely of the vehicle and the other set extending longitudinallyof the vehicle; a plurality of bridges, one attachable at the end ofeach way; and a'couch adapted to be supported upon said vehicle andhaving means engage'alole' with said ways and also the bridges, saidmeans also being shiftable from one set of ways to the other.

In testimony whereof,'I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day ofJanuary, 1914.

' RALPH I-I. SLEICI-IER. Witnesses:

Rose A. LEDUC, FRANK G. CURTIS.

Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington,'D. 0. i

